The Legend of Zelda: The Phoenix Horn
by Yllamse
Summary: The world is slowly freezing, the Goddesses have grown silent and a dark shadow has spread over the land... (Please forgive my horrible incapacity for writing summaries.)
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Legend of Zelda franchise. The world and characters belong to Mr. Miyamoto and Nintendo. What is mine is the story ideas and OC's. I am not profiting off this work, so please don't sue?**

**_(I'd like to thank my good friend Undrhil for helping me edit!)_  
**

_I have watched centuries pass and I'm convinced that I have been forgotten: lost within the pages of history._

The Legend of Zelda: The Phoenix's Horn

_Here sleeps the maiden, in her ice cage, no one knows her crime and no one knows who punished her._

It is said that once long ago, the lands of Hyrule and those surrounding it held such bountiful life that the people who lived within the boundaries never had to do without. Everyone always had full bellies and not a care in the world as to how to survive the next day.

That is not the case as it stands now.

The world has grown cold and distant. Farmers parley, argue and battle with their plows only to plead with their seeds in hopes that they grow. The forests shun humans and somehow distort those who enter into something monstrous to pit against the fools who keep returning upon the shadows of the trees. The once proud mountain that spits fire and rock has ceased its wondrous display of strength. It sits silent as an old man waiting for death to knock upon its battered heart and lets the cold wind zip past its gargantuan form.

And the snow...it falls closer and closer to the blessed lands of the goddesses.

Fear has begun to reside in the hearts of the people and has bred cruelty into their skin. They have forgotten the lore and the legends of old. They only seek shelter from the ice and snow with the hope of having a meal to eat on the morrow.

She knows this and yet she stands firm against the despair that threatens to devour her land. She is the last of a great line and the only heir left upon the throne. She is rather small and inexperienced but is the only one left to guide the people in their hour of need. The young girl sits upon the grandiose throne looking nothing like the great ruler she is honored to be but more like a doll left to sit upon a chair to wait upon its owner's return.

Through her uncanny wisdom, she has kept her people fed and sheltered as her father had done previously before her and her grandfather before him. Through sheer determination she has kept custody of the seat of power while dissolving conspiracies formed to take away her rightful rule. From dawn to dusk she had spent planning and preparing for disasters yet to come; for she has foreseen the future as a bleak, white and quiet wasteland...

...and she yearns to make it a false vision.

Alas she is just half of a coin. The poor princess has no answers and limited information. The goddesses are strangely quiet and the impending doom has literally begun to pound upon her kingdom's doors. So the girl has no choice but to fight an uphill battle against a storm that has a mind of its own.

In times like this, one would think it would take a miracle to save an ancient civilization.

Would it be surprising that sometimes all it takes is just one person?


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Legend of Zelda franchise. The world and characters belong to Mr. Miyamoto and Nintendo. What is mine is the story ideas and OC's. I am not profiting off this work, so please don't sue?**

Chapter One

Deep ocean blue eyes stare in wonder at the tree line which leads into untold adventures. The young teen sighs as he knows that his uncle would refuse his entry beyond the jade boundary. He was supposed to help out with the chores today and there would be no wriggling out of it. His cousin had fallen ill and uncle Parvol had come asking for help with the chores. His father had already set himself up for the winter and felt no compulsion to leave his children a free day to relax when family was in crisis. The boy ignored the "hey" and nudges from his other two siblings. The twins weren't so bad but sometimes they just drove him nuts. He heard his father droll on with his uncle as to what exactly had priority and what could be left for the last rays of the sun. The young Hylian did his best to ignore the call of the wild and stared at the heavy looking clouds that were up in the horizon.

"Link~. LINK~!"

"What is it Roe?" he replied as he grabbed one of the twins' hand before it smacked his cheek.

"It looks like it's going to rain...or do you think it'll be snow?" Roe asked as Link nudged the other child aside and deepened his sour expression.

"I don't know. I'll hope for rain but it's probably snow."

Roe frowned from his perch atop the haystack they've been riding on for most of the morning while Rin elbowed his way back to Link's left. The ignored twin let out a groan when he noticed the growing cloud slowly travel on idle winds.

"Not more snow!" Rin complained as the cart slowed to a halt, "It's hardly even fall yet!"

"If you boys have time to complain, then you definitely have time to work." Their father beckoned to them as he started to walk towards the barn, "Let's get this done before that monster shows up and freezes everything. Come on now!"

Link watched as the twins moaned in unison and he climbed down obediently with them to where the adults were getting ready to tackle the day.

* * *

He couldn't believe his luck. Link cheerfully pulled along a small cart as he hacked away branches and picked up twigs in the same forest he had been eyeing all morning. They had worked hard taking care of what was left in the fields and had gathered the animals back into the safety of the barns. While the twins had no choice but to make sure they were comfortable, their father had entrusted Link with gathering firewood.

How lucky could he be?

He let out a cheerful tune as he whistled down the forest path to have a few birds chirrup a response. With a carefree pace, the young teen walked up to the next tree and gleefully hacked at the low branches. This place felt so comfortable to him, as if it had beckoned him and asked him to stay for a while. He didn't understand why everyone was so wary of the forest these days…to him, the forest was a refuge. It was a place where he could just clearly think without the distractions of everyday life. He took in a deep breath and admired his work. Link had filled up the cart with little perception of time and still felt he had enough time to return…until he saw the bird.

The small, grey little thing looked straight at him from a branch not far from his face. Confused as to how he didn't notice it sooner, Link cocked his head one way and softly laughed as the bird mimicked the motion.

"Hey there little fellow…" he breathed as he started to walk past the branch, "I wouldn't stay here too long for a snow storm is coming. …But I'm sure you know that already, right?"

The bird calmly looked at the young Hylian and chirruped a response.

He smiled as he looked once more at the puffed up gleaming feathers, "Better find a warm spot to protect you from the storm then. See you around little fellow."

Without a second thought the silver bird flew down and perched on the gathered wood in the boy's cart. Link gave the bird a shrug and continued to walk down the path in which he came into the wood. He wasn't worried, for eventually the small thing will find something more suitable and fly off. Or so he thought…

The pair walked for a while as the trees began to thin out to let the bushes grow in. Blue eyes kept meeting with black ones as his surprise grew bigger each time he spotted the bird in the same spot. Once he tried to shoo it back to where it came from only to give up as it would just fly around and land on the cart with a look of indignation. Link attempted to do this a few more times before he threw up his hands in defeat as the bird landed on his head and refused to perch anywhere else.

"You don't understand birdie!" He complained as he constantly kept checking to see if the bird had had an accident on his head as said little thing kept hopping away from his hands, "I can't keep you! I have no bird feed and my parents wouldn't allow it anyhow because your home is HERE!"

With a last ditch effort, the young teen vigorously shook his hair, pulled up the hood of his cloak over his head as he felt two little claws disappear from his scalp, grabbed the handle of his cart and ran for the exit. He didn't dare look back. He ignored the prickling of his skin. He painfully breathed in air as he heavily thudded down the beaten path. The world grew dark and he found himself running with tunnel vision. Link heard the bird swoop over with a trill of warning and heard several different voices gutturally growl at him. With new resolve the young teen ran towards the light…

…he had too many things to do before he became a snack for anything.

What felt like hours to the boy, he rushed into his second wind and finally broke through the last branches of the woods. Link quickly turned to look into the leaves as he heard an unearthly screech that sounded like a cry of exasperation. He saw no movement, no bodies and no eyes. And yet, he could feel the ominous presence waiting for him to step into the borderline. He let go of the cart and caught his breath as he placed his hands on his knees. Part of him wanted to leave but a good portion of him wanted to return and see what exactly chased him out. Curiosity buzzed into his head and he found himself having to fight his instincts to go back into the shade. The goose bumps slowly receded and the presence he had felt had slowly faded away. With the blood surge subsiding and his breathing going back to normal, he felt a familiar pair of little claws on his head.

"Thanks," he said as he tried to look up at the bird perched on his hood and smothered the feeling of frustration of not being able to ditch it, "I suppose I can try to convince my father that you helped me out…but no promises. He's a superstitious type of guy and you came out of the woods. No one trusts anything that comes out of the forest these days. Unless you can burn it."

The boy grabbed onto the cart handle and gasped as he saw the first of the snow begin to fall. With a grunt, Link pulled with all of his might and ran as fast as his feet could carry him toward his uncle's home. The silver grey bird flew ahead of him and as the snow falling became a blizzard, he was able to follow the glint until he found the familiar scenery of the red barn and little cottage on the hill.

* * *

"Good gracious child," Link heard his aunt exclaim as he shook off most of the snow off his cloak before he dared to enter her home, "What took you so long?! You must be frozen stiff! Here, give me your cloak! Parvol! Link is back!"

The boy rubbed his hands together trying to bring back a bit of warmth to his numb fingers. He felt the small bird sit between his neck and shoulder but didn't dare breathe a word of it. The last thing he wanted was for his family to freak out. Not like it mattered. One look from his uncle and he knew the cat was out of the bag. With a gentle hand and a quiet glance, his uncle led him to the chimney and softly put a blanket around the boy's shoulders.

"Your father had already left with your brothers," he said as he placed another piece of wood into the fire, "When the storm breaks, I'll get you home."

"Oh."

"Who is your new friend?"

"U-um, well I…err…"

Uncle Parvol softly reclined on his chair and watched as the bird hopped from his perch and ruffled its feathers in an attempt to gather warmer air. Within minutes the bird had fallen asleep and Link was left to suffer his uncle's curious stare on his own.

"I-I don't know its name. It…it just showed up as I was heading back."

Link watched as his uncle pulled out his pipe. He flinched as aunt Noira barged in and he covered up the bird from sight with the blanket as he took the warm mug of tea from her hands. She clucked her tongue in disapproval of his appearance and quickly exited back to the kitchen.

"I'll get you a bath started young man, as soon as I finish with what I'm doing here," she called back from her dinner preparations.

Link didn't dare move until he smelled the smoke from the pipe. He opened the blanket a bit to be able to drink his tea but mostly stared at the fire. A few sparks flew and crackled before he felt his uncle lean in and take another look at the small feathery friend dozing on his thigh.

"Humph, this guy is a bit too far south," the man said as he puffed a bit while he observed the bird, "I'm assuming he found you in the woods, correct?"

"Yes, sir."

"That is troubling. We'll tell your father we found it out here."

"You're letting me keep it?" Link asked while shock was clearly written on his face.

"Yes, for I have a feeling you would not have found your way back so quickly without his help," his uncle responded with a bit of emotion sprinkled in his voice, "If he was evil you wouldn't have come back. I like the little guy, he feels alright. He also saved me a trip to have to go and find you in this mess…those clouds hit us much faster than any of us had anticipated."

Link looked down at the little bird with a bit of wonder. It had already demonstrated it was intelligent several times. The bird cracked open one eye and stared back at the boy with the flaxen hair as a finger was slowly placed in front of it. With a rustle of feathers, the bird obediently hopped on and repositioned itself to stare at its surroundings. The boy heard the determined footsteps belonging to his aunt hurry past the stairs and into a side room. It didn't take long to see the steam flowing from under the closed door.

"I think I have an old wooden cage somewhere," Parvol said as he once again reclined upon his chair and stared at the fire. "It is in the attic. I'll get it down while you clean yourself up."

* * *

Link stared into the dark as he listened to the wind howl past the house. He had been placed in the spare room due to the circumstances. Even though it was rather small, the bed was next to the warm wall of the home. So his uncle and aunt got no complaints from him. He glanced sideways to the small and yet neatly crafted wooden cage with a now missing door. The little bird had taken to liking it in less than a few seconds after his uncle removed it. It furiously made a little nest from scraps of yarn and the like as the boy watched on. It now slept peacefully inside with not a care in the world, with its cage wrapped up with a soft blanket to insulate the air inside.

He did his best not to think of dinner much. It wasn't the same without Mernin and it felt awkward to hear him cough from his room. Aunt Noira gave him an apology and excused herself from the table. He did his best not to stare as she climbed the stairs and closed the door behind her with a soft click. The boy ate his food quickly and cleared the table as his uncle cleaned the silverware.

No one knew how Mernin got sick and he has remained that way for two weeks. Aunt Noira's sweet demeanor became sour and she barred entry to everyone but Uncle Parvol.

He was allowed to talk to him through the door, but Mernin felt so weak all he could manage was a five minute conversation at most.

Link was worried but he wasn't sure of what to do. He had eavesdropped on his family as they spoke of getting a doctor for him but with the warm season being so short and the distance it would take to travel; it seemed to be an impossible task. He heard his cousin cough again and decided to force himself to sleep. He felt his eyes droop and welcomed the warm darkness that beckoned him into slumber.

_He floats over the moat with ease and lets the wind lift him above what is a sturdy and yet handsome castle. With a gust pushing upwards he glides safely upon a small perch illuminated by the evening sun. Softly he calls out into the darkness beyond the small window as he hops inside. He is greeted by a similar call if not a bit out of sync. Happily he hops inside and looks down into the gloom to see a young woman whistle the same call. Her hair covers most of her shoulders and grey eyes watch expectantly as the maiden extends her hand as an invitation._

_Without a second thought he skipped, hopped and free fell until the last moment when he spread his wings. With grace and practice, he gently landed on the outstretched fingers. He whistled a greeting as the maiden smiled._

_"Aviv, it is good to see you," the maiden said as she held up a piece of old bread. With a gleeful chirrup, he began to eat the morsel in her scrapped hands, "Has the world ended yet?"_

_He paused and let out a complaining squawk. The maiden softly laughed at his exclamation and gently watched as he ate his fill. A glint of light sparkled from her eyes as tears began to fall from her face._

_"It is nice to know that the world hasn't stopped because of me," she said gently as he finished eating his fill, "Aviv, that man tricked us. Father paid for it with his life and it seems that I will be doing the same by the morrow. My dear friend, you must flee before he finds you, for I will no longer be around to protect you."_

_He looked at her eyes and cocked his head to the side. The maiden rubbed her eyes dry with the palm of her hand and steadied her breath. For the first time, in what seemed to be like ages to him, he felt the cold grip of uncertainty grow within his heart. Something was wrong…_

_A loud clang and thud startled both of them; he quickly jumped up and hid among the roof beams and the girl slowly stood up and stared beyond the bars as a figure walked towards the door keeping her in away from the world._

_A slithering scraping hiss caught his attention and he looked as a gray coil moved with the young woman's leg._

_He jumped as he heard a clank and the door opened letting a man with golden hair inside._

_He felt her resignation and her fear. It became a tangible tasteless thing in the air as it coiled around in the dimness of the ending day. The maiden stood still and straight as the man motioned someone in the shadows with a wave of his hand. The door shut with an audible click and the tension grew between the two._

_"I'll ask you one more time; where did you hide it?" The man asked as he stared at her with a cold determination, "If you have any loyalty left to the crown, speak now or surrender to your fate."_

_Feathers puffed farther out of place as the maiden remained still and stared at the lime green eyes drilling holes into her soul. The man let out a deep breath and rubbed the bridge of his nose._

_"Listen, I'm trying to find a way to spare your life. You shouldn't have to die for something your father did. If you don't cooperate, there is nothing anyone can do." He looked calmly into her uncertain eyes with an unyielding determination, "Please tell me where the instrument is. You can go back to your life in the remote village we found you in…"_

_"I already told all of you," she said softly as she tensed away from the man and his words, "I don't know what it is that you're talking about. I've never even seen something like what was in the manuscript…I cannot give you answers that I don't have!"_

The man frowned as the girl backed away further from him and the door. She braced herself against the stone wall and let her hands shake out of sight. He hopped closer to the girl, fully aware of the man's presence. Feathers smoothed down unto skin and wings arched at the ready as the man stared down the maiden with a stubborn resolve.

"I understand."

_Relief flooded in his veins as he watched the man knock twice on the door. The maiden slumped down onto the matted straw as he exited without a backwards glance. He fluttered down and landed on the ground in front of the woman in defiance to the offending beings behind the wooden and metallic door._

"Aviv."

_He looked towards the voice only to find the woman had walked up to him. She gently picked him up and raised him up as far to the slit window as possible._

_"Go, my little friend and have a good life. Flee this place and forget about me."_

_Startled by being thrown up into the air, wings beat furiously to keep a sense of balance. He landed on the window sill and stared back down at the now sobbing maiden. A swift rebellion took over his mind and with little to do until morning; he placed his beak on his back and softly closed his eyes._

The boy groggily opened his eyes to find that it was morning, if not a bit too early for the sky was beginning to lighten up. He frowned as he opened the drapes to reveal a cloud filled gloom. The sky was still dropping snowflakes but at the very least it seemed to have slowed down from the previous day. He pulled up a chair, leaned in and stared as snowflakes melted on the window pane. It didn't take too long for the bird to join him as it perched on the back of his chair. He didn't pay it much attention until it let out a small set of chirrups and whistles reminding him of the dream he had. He froze on the spot and looked at the weak reflection of the bird sitting next to him with a bit of wonder.

_It couldn't be, _he thought as the bird ruffled its feathers and began to preen.

"Aviv?"

His blood ran cold as the bird looked right into his eyes and chirruped a response. He held still as the bird hopped on his shoulder and stared into his face.

"Your name is Aviv, isn't it?"

Link's suspicions felt confirmed as the bird let out a trill of the song he had heard in his dreams. He slowly moved his head so he could look at the little bird and Aviv cocked his head so he could return the stare.

"This is so weird," he said as he placed a finger in front of the bird and it obediently hopped on with no complaints. "Ever since you showed up, things have gotten strange. Well stranger any way…I have no idea what is going on but I plan to find out."

He placed the small bird on top of the cage and quickly made the bed. He grabbed some of Mernin's hand me downs and got dressed. It might look a bit strung out on him but it was better than wearing his clothes twice in a row. He looked at the bird and frowned. He knew something was starting, he could feel it in his bones but the young teen had no idea on what exactly he needed to do.

"I think I need to talk to uncle again," he said as he sheepishly scratched the back of his head.

Aviv gave him a cheerful chirrup and with a swift movement was on his shoulder again. Link sighed as he softly walked downstairs to see if anyone had made breakfast yet.

* * *

The awkwardness of last night gave birth to anxiety as Link had slept the night before. The boy was greeted by a grim nurse and a worried uncle as he softly walked down the stairs. He remained silent as the quiet that hung in the room became a thick sour taste in the back of his throat.

"Who is this?" The gnarled and bent woman asked as she pointed an accusing finger in his direction.

"He is my nephew," his uncle responded without missing a beat, "Link, this is Alaruna. She has been attending Mernin during his illness."

"I was unaware that you had family over, Parvol." She said as she adjusted the thickest glasses Link had ever seen to get a closer look at him, "I would have advised against it. Child, come closer, I'm going to have to take a look at you."

"Why?" Link asked while he walked towards the woman.

"That is simple," she said as she circled the boy once before she took out several instruments from a carpet bag, "Your cousin has taken a turn for the worse last night and it seems that your aunt has caught whatever ails him. If this continues, I will have to quarantine this house and its occupants."

"..But-!"

"Have you had any contact with him?" She asked as she checked his eyes in the light. "Have you entered into his room? How are you feeling this morning? Do you have any aches or pains anywhere?"

"Uh…no, I have not seen my cousin since he became ill," he said as she pulled out a stethoscope from her bag and rubbed the metal to get it warm, "and I feel fine! Honest I do!"

"No blurred vision I take it?"

"No ma'am."

"Breathe in and out for me," she said as she placed the stethoscope on his skin, "No shortness of breath I take it? How many nights have you stayed under this roof?"

"Just last night ma'am," he said quietly as she pulled the contraption out of her ears and started to feel under his jaw.

"What of last night? Was it the shortness of breath or staying here in this house? You need to clear with your answers boy."

"I insist; I feel fine," Link said as his cheeks burned, "I only have stayed over one night."

"Parvol, bring the light here. Link, open your mouth and say 'ah'."

Both of them complied as the old woman looked at the boy's mouth with a look of concentration on her face. She frowned once more and did one more test. Link coughed to the side with his face burning hotter than before and the old woman put away her tools.

"I am satisfied that he is well," she said as she snapped closed her carpet bag, "Parvol, I would prepare for the worst if I were you. Mernin isn't getting better and now your wife has succumbed to this disease. It would be wise if you return this young man to his father before he catches it."

With a quick bow she exited the house in a bit of a hurry. Link watched her go with a bit of dismay weighing down his soul. He looked to his uncle to find the man standing next to him but his eyes were far away. Uncertain of what to do, he quickly went up the stairs and got his clothes. As an afterthought, he grabbed the cage and came down stairs soon after. He tied up his clothing together in a bundle and looked expectantly at his uncle while the man looked at the same corner he had been staring at for most of the morning.

His uncle slowly stood up and walked up to the youth. He silently eyed him up and down and took one good look at the bird which was sitting on Link's shoulder.

"I'd hoped you would be good luck," he said with hushed tones as the bird puffed up under the scrutiny, "but perhaps you've arrived a bit too late."

"…Uncle."

"Let us go," he said as he grabbed his coat and cloak and threw them on. "The last thing that I want is for you to get sick too, Link. I wouldn't be able to handle the guilt."

Link silently followed his uncle to the barn as he felt a great shadow fall upon them. With one last look towards the house, the young teen gave a quick prayer as an offering to the goddesses, begging mercy for his aunt and cousin, before he trod over the collection of white powder over the land.


End file.
